Substances that deplete the ozone layer

In adopting the report by Mrs Anneli HULTHEN (PES, S), the European Parliament rejected most of the amendments proposed by the Environment Committee. However, the Parliament maintained its amendment which aims to ban the use of virgin HCFCs in existing refrigeration equipment and air conditioning from 2005, with a total ban on all HCFCs from 01/01/2007. It also deleted the derogations which the Council had planned to grant after 2001 for fixed air-conditioning equipment with a cooling capacity of less than 100 kW. The European Parliament requests that the Commission should be able to agree to a temporary exemption in order to allow the use of chlorofluorocarbons until 31/12/2004 in hermetically sealed devices designed for implantation in the human body with a view to supplying measured doses of medication. Lastly, the Parliament calls for support measures for small and medium sized undertakings which could meet with problems by reason of planned suspension of the production and the use of controlled substances.�